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The Pros and Cons of Solid Wood Flooring and Laminate Flooring
Solid wood flooring and laminate flooring each have their benefits as well as their disadvantages. Solid wood flooring is beautiful, and provides a timeless look of elegance to any room. However, solid hardwood flooring is expensive and very susceptible to moisture as well as changes in temperatures. Laminate flooring, is less expensive, more resistant to moisture, perfect for active families with children and pets, however, this type of flooring cannot be refinished. Solid hardwood flooring is as its name impliesit is solid wood, which is usually boards or strips. Solid hardwood flooring can be of any one of the numerous species of woods including Oak, Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Walnut, Ash, Beech, Birch, Pine, to name a few. Solid hardwood flooring is available as either pre-finished or unfinished and has the added advantage of being able to be sanded and refinished multiple times, thus being able to last for countless decades. Solid hardwood flooring however, is vulnerable to high humidity and moisture and therefore is not recommend for installation on or below grade levels, nor is it recommended for installation over concrete slabs. This is because of the fact that solid wood floors will expand as it absorbs moisture and contract or cup as it dries. When wood cups it causes the edges of the wood to curve upward, thus posing a tripping hazard as well as damaging the wood. In addition, solid hardwood flooring can become scratched and dented by high heel shoes, pet claws, feet of furniture. How well the solid hard wood resists scratches and dents depends on the woods hardness as well as the finish you have on the flooring.
Solid hardwood flooring is often more expensive than laminate flooring, but does have a tendency to increase the value of a home, thus making it well worth the investment. Usually laminate flooring is a photographic image of wood, stone, ceramic tile, etc. that has been laminated on top of high density fiberboard, which has then been sandwiched between two layers of plastic. Because of this durable plastic coating, laminate floors are extremely durable and can withstand high traffic areas as well as active families. However, once scuffed, marred, or scratched these floorings cannot be refinished. The biggest benefit of laminate flooring is that it is easily cleaned with a damp mop, however just like solid hardwood flooring, excessive moisture such as that which occurs when wet mopping can damage the laminate flooring when water seeps in between the edges of the boards. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to never wet mop laminate flooring. Other benefits of laminate flooring is that it is nearly impervious to stains, dents, and will not fade when exposed to direct lighting, unlike solid hardwood flooring that will fade. Typically, laminate floorings have a 10-year or more warranty. Laminate floorings are available in several thicknesses of protective coating, which range from 6mm to 12mm, and as one would expect, the thicker the flooring the more durable and long lasting and the more it will resemble a solid wood flooring. When considering installation, solid hardwood flooring is more difficult to install than many of the snap-together laminate floorings that are on the market today. However, any individual who is very handy and has taken the time to do their research can install either solid hardwood flooring or laminate flooring. When deciding between solid hardwood flooring and laminate flooring, one has to take in to consideration the years you plan on spending in your home, and whether or not you have children and pets, and the amount of traffic your will have. If you plan on living in your home for any extended period, then you may want to consider solid hardwood flooring. However, if you have a very active household and do have pets, then laminate flooring may be your best choice.
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